Jason Terry Wants to Retire in Dallas

Mavs guard Jason Terry has been essential to Dallas’ recent success, and if it’s up to him, he’ll continue to be essential there until his career is over. Via ESPN Dallas: “Jason Terry, in the midst of a redemptive postseason that has helped move the Dallas Mavericks one win from a second-round sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, said Saturday that he wants to retire with the Mavericks, the team he joined in 2004 as Steve Nash’s replacement. The 12th-year shooting guard has one season remaining on the six-year, $57 million free-agent contract he signed in 2006, just weeks after the Mavs melted down and lost a 2-0 lead to the Miami Heat in the franchise’s infamous first NBA Finals appearance. This season Terry easily reached a minutes-played clause in his contract that fully guarantees his final season at $10.7 million. Entering the postseason, speculation revolved around Terry possibly being shopped during the offseason if his downward trend in the playoffs continued. Terry, 33, said this poised and productive playoff run — coming off an emotionally off-kilter end to the regular season — has been fueled by his passion to overcome past failures and to ensure his longevity in Dallas. Terry has emerged as the Mavs’ much-needed second-leading scorer, averaging 16.8 points on 49.1 percent shooting, behind superstar Dirk Nowitzki. ‘No question. That’s definitely even more a part of the motivation knowing that I want to be here in Dallas. I want to retire here,’ Terry said. ‘I want to be up there next to Brad Davis and Dirk [Nowitzki] and Rolando [Blackman] when it’s all said and done.’ Davis and Blackman have both had their numbers retired, and Nowitzki, a sure Hall-of-Famer, will certainly have his jersey raised to the rafters. Told of Terry’s desire, Mavs president Donnie Nelson said, ‘The feeling’s mutual.’ ‘He’s the life of the party in that locker room,’ Nelson said. ‘He’s got an edge to him that people don’t understand how competitive he is because I think when he does interviews he is so engaging and he’s got an incredible sense of humor. But, when he steps on that floor he is all business.'”